I am just going to gloat to all you MSers, that I am one of the privileged few - a VIP - who got to watch the Don preview(here comes the non-recommended raining in :P) I was eagerly awaiting this film and had to watch it as soon as it was being shown. I was not that eager though, I skipped the morning show, I do have a life you know!
So what is the verdict? Not very good in fact. Maybe part of that is to do with my expectations and partly because it isn’t really that good of a film. It does not even come within a mile to the original cool and funky Don, and here’s a surpise - it’s not because of Shahrukh Khan; he is in fact the best part of the film and had it been any other actor, this film would never have worked. The blame lies squarely at Farahn Akhtars doorstep. This is by far his worst film yet.
I was not as impressed with Dil Chahta Hai, as others were, but I did actually find the film entertaining and consider it amongst the better films of the new generation of bollywood. Ironically, I was more impressed with Lakshya, than others were, but yes it did suffer a few hangups in the script department. It would be an understatement to say that Don suffers a few hangups in the script department.
The screenplay drags, and drags and drags some more, even despite fact that the scenes are short and fast paced -- the problem is there are just too many scenes, most completely unnecessary and it robs the story of flow. Fast-paced scenes in a thriller, are the hallmark of good thrillers, but too many fast-paced scenes in quick succession are tantamount to one prolonged and slow scene.
An example of this, is one HUGE extended flashback on JJ(Arjum Ramphal) and all it is trying to do is fill us on the fact that JJ has a chip on his shoulder. If I had a watch on me, I probably would have glanced at it repeatedly - it goes on forever. How much time the writer-editor-director would have saves us, if they had spared us all that exposition and tried to reveal it through the characterisation of JJ. In fact, even a single dialogue would have sufficed.
Better yet, why not completely scrap JJ’s subplot, it’s doing nothing for the story. In fact, the manner in which JJ is first introduced, is jarring to say the least; one minute the story is about Don and suddenly this random character pops up and Don is temporarily sent to Limbo.
There is too much exposition and telling scenes A golden rule of any writing, particularly screenwriting, is "show don’t tell" and Don: The Chase begins is full of telling and some of it seems really cheesy(especially the fight scene between Don and JJ on the bridge and the entrance of the kid to save the day)
Don has a very poor story-structure. A film that tags itself as a chase film, should not be full of subplots, and if there must be subplots, then don’t make them conflict with one another, especially with the main plot.
Secondly, a chase film should be riveting and fast, and revolve around the central characters; the cat(chaser) and the mouse(chased) A very good example of such a film, is Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can. Don would have worked wonders with a structure like that. Alas!
The action quotient should have been higher. Don is not just a chase film, it is also an action film, and therefore requires a higher quotient of action. While, Don does have some spectacular and ambitious action scenes, there just does not seem to be enough for the length of the film, which otherwise is diluted down with tiring drama and songs.
Technically, Don is a very accomplished work, but also one very self-conscious of it’s style. Akhtar, fills the film with style; everything from his framing, his dialogues, the sets, the costumes, the snazzy cinematography and editing, make-up, to the use of gadgets and computer technology. It has all the glitz and glamour, but as what often happens when too much emphasis is put on style, substance suffers and Don is no exception.
Yet what struck me as very strange, was how badly focused the camera was throughout the film. It was so bad, that either it was intentional(why?) or the cinema projector was whacked. Please comment, if you noticed this as well.
Onto performances: Shahrukh Khan is King. He pulls of the role of Don and Vijay with aplomb. His confidence and self-assurance sail him smoothely through, along with the audience, that otherwise would have drowned. However, the million dollar question is, does he come close to Amitabh Bachchan as Don? Yes and No. Shahrukh Khan, has the tendency to regress to his former avatars and this gives a recurring feeling of deja vu. Still, comparatively speaking, Shahrukh Khan is much more restrained than usual and occasionally brilliant.
Boman Irani’s performance came as an unpleasant surprise.The irony of this being his most substantial role in his career and also his worst performance. It was hard to believe this was the same Boman of the Munna Bhai series, or even Being Cyrus, heck he was the only redeeming part of Home Delivery. But in Don, he overacts and keeps overacting. Such as in in the reveal at the intermission and the fight on the roof-top at the end, which actually evoked laughter from the audience.
I have not written any spoilers in this review and nor have I revealed what the plot is. But I will say this much about the BIG TWIST-- I saw that coming almost half-way into the story. Nonetheless, it was well-executed.
So for myself, Don: The Chase Begins was a big disappointment. Not a chase - but a predictable crawl all the way towards the end. If you are going to choose between either Jaaneman or Don to watch, I best advise choosing Jaaneman. I haven’t seen it yet - but I’ve seen Don to know it’s not worth watching.